Machine for erecting a rectangular cardboard box



June 24, 1969 3,451,317

MACHINE FOR ERECTING A RECTANGULAR CARDBOARD-BOX Original Filed Feb. 24, 1967 J. 'T. HAKANSSON ETAL Sheet Of5 Fig.1

INVENTORS Jan Tbrsfien Ha nsson R0 M03010; D1101. B

June-24,1969 J. T. HAKANSSON ETAL 5 MACHINE FOR ERECTiNG A RECTANGULAR-CARDBOARD BOX Original Filed Feb 24, 1967 Sheet Z of 3 Fig.3

INVENTORS Jan orsfien Haka nsson R H Mngnus Di/m';

June 24, 1969 Original Filed Feb. 24, 1967 J. T- HAKANSSON ET AL 3,451,317 MACHINE FOR ERECTING A RECTANGULARfiARDBOARD BOX Sheet 3 or;

Fig.5

17- I I l 3 I I I I 20 20 INVENTORS Jan Torsten Hakansson RoH Magnus Di/ai;

Afizornegs United States Patent US. Cl. 93-51 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for erecting a rectangular cardboard box from a multi-paneled blank includes a rectangular open shaft of the same size as the bottom panel of the blank and a rectangular stamp which engages the bottom panel of the blank when brought into registry with the open shaft and pushes the bottom panel down into the shaft. As the bottom panel moves downwardly through the open shaft, the side panels are automatically folded upwardly and the corner panels are also folded so as to project outwardly in the form of fins. As the partially erected box continues its downward movement, the corner fins are folded so as to lie fiat against the sides of the box and are pressed against and sealed to the box sides by rolls. A suction cup operating from beneath the shaft is used to remove the erected carton after being discharged from the bottom of the shaft.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 618,390, filed Feb. 24, 1967, in the name of Jan Hakansson, now US. Patent No. 3,361,325, granted Jan. 2, 1968, and is directed to an improved machine structure for erecting the box blank disclosed in that application.

As disclosed in the parent application, the blank from which the cardboard box is erected includes a bottom panel, four side panels integral with the latter, and at least two and preferably four corner panels each of which is integral with two adjacent side panels and each of which is intended at the erection of the cardboard box to be doubled and folded in towards one of the adjacent side panels.

It is characteristic of each box blank that the corner panel is subdivided in part by means of a slot or notch into two part panels such that at the erection of the cardboard box a fin is formed which is doubled nearest the corner and which is folded in towards the box side and, remote from the corner, passes into a single ply.

I Summary of the invention The improved machine for erecting the box blank includes a rectangular open shaft of the same size as the bottom panel of the blank and a rectangular stamp which engages the bottom panel of the blank when brought into registry with the open shaft and pushes the bottom panel down into the shaft. As the bottom panel moves downwardly through the open shaft, the side panels are automatically folded upwardly and the corner panels are also folded so as to project outwardly in the form of fins. Asthe partially erected box continues its downward movement, the corner fins are folded so as to lie flat against the sides of the box and are pressed against and sealed to the box sides by rolls. The invention will be described in further detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings which, by way of example, show a preferred form of the ICC cardboard box and a machine for erecting this box in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a blank of the illustrated preferred form of the cardboard box according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows the same cardboard box erected but not yet closed.

FIG. 3 shows the same cardboard box completely closed.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the most essential details of the said machine for erecting the cardboard box shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIGS. 5-7 finally show various detail views of the machine shown in FIG. 4. i

The flat blank 1 shown in FIG. 1 consists of a rectangular bottom panel 2, four side panels 3, 4, 5 and 6 integral with this panel 2 and four corner panels subdivided by a notch 1 into two part panels 8 and 9. Further, the blank includes a rectangular lid panel 10 with three side lid panels 11, 12 and 13. Finally, 14 designates creasing lines in the blank which connect the four corners of the bottom panel 2 with the nearest notch 7 and which are intended to control the box erection together with the normal creasing lines 15 confining the bottom and side panels and their extensions 16.

As will be best seen from FIG. 2, the corner panels 8, 9 are doubled at the erection of the cardboard box in such a way that nearest the respective corner they form a double fin which at a certain distance passes into a fin consisting of a single layer only, and more particularly of the outer part of the part panel 9.

FIG. 3 shows how the finished cardboard box presents completely smooth outer surfaces, i.e., surfaces very Well adapted to carry decoration. The side lid panels 11, 12 and 13 are preferably fastened to the outsides of the sides walls 3, 5 and 6 by means of heat sealing. As an adhesive there may be used either a plastics coating covering the inside and/or outside of the whole cardboard box or such a coating pre-applied as spots or lines at convenient places. Alternatively, an ordinary paste may be applied directly in connection with the final sealing. In practice, it has proved convenient to use paste of the so called hot melt type.

How the cardboard box according to the invention is erected in a convenient manner is best seen from FIGS. 47. In those figures, however, for the sake of clearness several details have been broken at the same time as certain details have been omitted altogether. From a supply not shown the flat blank shown in FIG. 1 is fed along a conveyor path 17 of any kind past heating means, not shown either, which heat the surfaces of the corner panels 8, 9 intended for sealing and preferably also the outside of the end walls 5 and 6. When the blank arrives exactly above a shaft 18 it is seized by a stamp 19, part of which is shown in FIG. 6 and which is indicated by dot and dash lines in FIG. 4. The shaft 18 has a cross-sectional form which substantially conforms to the outer cross-sectional form of the cardboard box. At each of the upper corners of the shaft 18 rollers 20 are provided in pairs. Whenthe cardboard box is pressed down into the shaft 18 by the stamp 19, the side walls 3-6 are erected at the same times as the corner panels 8, 9 are doubled and directed straight outwards from the box, as is shown to the left in FIG. 4. Directed in this way the corner panels are caused to pass between the rollers 20 provided in pairs, whereby the pre-hea'ted inner surfaces of the corner panels 8, 9 are compressed to form a good seal.

Immediately after the position shown in FIG, 4 the stamp 19 operates a pivotally mounted sheet metal member 21 which via a roller and link transmission 22-28 operates a folding and guiding flap 29 which intercepts the doubled corner panel 8, 9 and folds it in towards the end wall of the cardboard box. The fin formed by this panel will thereby run inside the guiding sheet metal member 30 which is fixed to a holder 31 which also carries pressing rollers 32 and 33 the working peripheral surfaces of which project through holes in the guiding sheet metal member 30. The construction is of course such that there is such a holder 31 with a guiding sheet metal member 30 and pressing rollers 32 and 33 at each end of the shaft. This also applies to the remaining details provided in the shaft. The movement of the folding and guiding flaps 29 also functions to ensure that these flaps do not fold in the side lid panels 12 and 13 in the same way as the corner panels 8, 9, i.e., these side lid panels pass at the opposite side of the flaps 29 as compared With the corner panels.

The function of the pressing rollers 32 and 33 will be best understood from the detail view of FIG. 7. As will be seen from this figure and from FIG. 6 the roller 33 projects farther into the shaft 18 than the roller 32. The reason for this is that the roller 32 is intended to press in the doubled part of the corner panels 8, 9 sealingly, while the roller 33 is adapted to press in the single projection part of the part panel 9 against the box side.

FIG. shows the inside of one box wall of the shaft 18 as seen from the centre of the shaft. A jaw of nylon, Teflon or any other material with small coefiicient of friction is shown at 34. This jaw is serrated for still further reducing the friction. Thereby the erection of the cardboard box is substantially facilitated.

When the cardboard box has been forced through the shaft 18 it is seized by the suction cup 35 which strips it from the stamp 19 at the return stroke of the latter. So as to ensure this stripping still further the stamp 19 is provided with an air blowing hole 36 (FIG. 6) to which air is supplied from a source not shown when the stamp is about to return to its upper position. Thereby the side wall of the cardboard box is pressed out and engages the bottom edge of the guide sheet metal member serving as a stripping edge.

The suction cup moves the erected cardboard box down to a second conveyor path (not shown). Along this conveyor path there are first provided one or more filling stations for filling the cardboard boxes and thereupon a final sealing station. This tfinal sealing may proceed in such a way that a plastic coating already applied to the cardboard box is heated on the inside of the side lid panels 11-13 and/ or on the outside of the side walls 3-6. In this case one may work either with completely plastics coated cardboard or with adhesive applied as spots or lines.

The invention is of course not limited to the example described above only but may be varied within the scope of the following claims.

Thus, for example, the particular details of the machine shown may be varied in many respects relating to both construction and material. The cardboard box shown may of course be manufactured without a lid. In that case the sealing thereof may take place, for example, by completely enclosing it in heat shrinkable plastics.

We claim:

1. In a machine for erecting a rectangular cardboard box from a blank including a bottom panel, four side panels joined respectively to each side of said bottom panel, and four corner panel structures located respectively at the ends of adjacent side panels, each said corner panel structure being constituted by two part panels joined respectively to the ends of adjacent side panels and including a slot therebetween for establishing a foldable fin which is double ply in the vicinity of the corner and thereafter passes into a single ply, the combination comprising an open rectangular shaft the transverse dimensions of which correspond generally to that of the bottom panel of said blank, means for delivering said blank to the upper end of said shaft with said bottom panel in alignment therewith, a rectangular stamp having substantially the same transverse dimensions as said shaft and located above the same, said stamp being movable in a downward direction to force said bottom panel downwardly into said shaft whereby the walls thereof simultaneously fold said four side panels upwardly to positions perpendicular to said bottom panel and with said corner panel structures extending generally outward from one of the folded-up side panels, pairs of squeezing roller means located respectively at each of the four corner portions of said shaft and between which the part panels of each outwardly extending corner panel structure are brought together and compressed to form the corner fins, a combined guide and folding member located at'each of the four corner portions of said shaft below said squeezing roller means, means coordinating actuation of each of said guide and folding members with downward movement of said stamp for engaging and folding said corner fins inwardly to lie against an adjacent side panel and pressing means located at each of the four corner portions of said shaft below said guide and folding members for pressing said folded-in corner fins against the corresponding side panels.

2. In a machine for erecting a rectangular cardboard box from a blank including a bottom panel, four side panels joined respectively to each side of said bottom panel, and four corner panel structures located respectively at the ends of adjacent side panels, each said corner panel structure being constituted by two part panels joined respectively to the ends of adjacent side panels and including a slot therebetween for establishing a foldable fin which is double ply in the vicinity of the corner and thereafter passes into a single ply, the combination comprising an open rectangular shaft the transverse dimensions of which correspond generally to that of the bottom panel of said blank, means for delivering said blank to the upper end of said shaft with said bottom panel in alignment therewith, a rectangular stamp having substantially the same transverse dimensions as said shaft and located above the same, said stamp being movable in a downward direction to force said bottom panel downwardly into said shaft whereby the walls thereof simultaneously fold said four side panels upwardly to positions perpendicular to said bottom panel and with said corner panel structures extending generally outward from one of the folded-up side panels, squeezing means located respectivelyat each of the four corner portions of said shaft and which engage each of said outwardly extending corner panel structures to bring the part panels thereof together and compress them to form the corner fins, a combined guide and folding member located at each of the four corner portions of said shaft below said squeezing means, means actuating each of said guide and folding members-in relation to downward movement of said stamp for engaging and folding said corner fins inwardly to lie against an adjacent side panel, and pressure roller means located at each of the four corner portions of said shaft below said guide and folding members for pressing said folded-in corner fins against the corresponding side panels, each of said pressure roller means being comprised of a pair of rollers positioned respectively to roll press the double and single ply portions of said folded-in corner fin, and with a corresponding side of said stamp serving as a back-up for the pressure applied by said rollers.

3. In a machine for erecting a rectangular cardboard box from a blank including a bottom panel, four side panels joined respectively to each side of said bottom panel, and four corner panel structures located respectively at the ends of adjacent side panels, each said corner panel structure being constituted by 7 two part panels joined respectively to the ends of adjacent side panels and including a slot therebetween for establishing a foldable fin which is double ply in the vicinity of the corner and thereafter passes into a single ply, the combination comprising 'an open rectangular shaft the transverse dimensions of which correspond generally to that of the bottom panel of said blank, means for delivering said blank to the upper end of said shaft with said bottom panel in alignment therewith, a rectangular stamp having substantially the same transverse dimensions as said shaft and located above the same, said stamp being movable in a downward direction to force said bottom panel downwardly into said shaft whereby the walls thereof simultaneously fold said four side panels upwardly to positions perpendicular to said bottom panel and with said corner panel structures extending generally outward from one of the folded-up side panels, pairs of squeezing roller means located respectively at each of the four corner portions of said shaft and between which the part panels of each outwardly extending corner panel structure are brought together and compressed to form the corner fins, a combined guide and folding member located at each of the four corner portions of said shaft below said squeezing roller means, means actuating each of said guide and folding members in relation to downward movement of said stamp for engaging and folding said corner fins inwardly to lie against an adjacent side panel, and pressure roller means located at each of the four corner portions of said shaft below said guide and folding members for pressing said folded-in corner fins against the corresponding side panels, each of said pressure roller means being comprised of a pair of rollers positioned respectively to roll press the double and single ply portions of said folded-in corner fin, and with a corresponding side of said stamp serving as a back-up for the pressure applied by said rollers.

4. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein each said combined guide and folding member is constituted by a guide bar which seizes a corner fin upon leaving the nip between the corresponding pair of squeezing rollers and turns the fin through 5. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein the blank for the box includes a lid panel joined to one of the side panels which is of the same dimensions as said bottom panel, and side panels joined along opposite sides of said lid panel, the side panels joined to said lid panel being passed between and held by said squeezing roller means when said guide and folding members are folding in said corner fins.

6. A machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said rectangular stamp is provided with blow holes through which air is blown outwardly for expanding side walls of the erected box outwardly upon the return upward stroke of said stamp, and which further includes a stripping memher which engages the top edges of said side panels when outwardly expanded.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,850,954 9/ 1958 Arneson 93-51 3,028,797 4/1962 Bayley et al. 93-51 3,046,849 7/1962 Bowman 93-51 3,192,837 7/ 1965 Hoyrup et al. 93-51 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. 

